II. Fallschirm Korps

Usually German corps had no combat units assigned assigned on a permanent basis. However, this corps was an exception. It had several combat units in its composition. The authorized organization called for the following the following combat units¹:

12. Fs.Aufkl.Abt.
12. Fs.StuG.Brig.
12. Fs.Art.Rgt. (I. - III. Abt.)
12. Fs.Flak.Rgt. (I. - III. Abt.)

At the beginning of June this organization was far from complete. The 12. Fs.Art.Rgt. had just begun forming. The Fs.Art.Ausb.Rgt. Luneville in northeastern France was ordered to set up the I. and II. Abteilung for the 12. Fs.Art.Rgt. It was instructed to have accomplished this by 25 August.² The III. Abteilung had not even begun forming by 7 August.³ The I. and II. Abteilungen were still at Luneville on 18 August.⁴ The Flak Regiment was not with the corps on 17 May.⁵ It was in Germany on 10 July⁶, but according to Meindl, the corps commander, the regiment had arrived on 25 July.⁷ On the other hand, Blauensteiner, the corps chief of staff, stated that the regiment did not join the corps before the end of the war.⁸

The fact that these units were missing is also reflected in the manpower situation for the corps. Its authorized strength, excluding subordinated divisions, was 8 951 men, but it only had 3 363.⁹

The corps also had a training unit for parachute infantry, the Fallschirm-Jäger-Ers. u. Ausb.Rgt. 2 with three battalions.¹⁰ Two such battalions were located in Brittany and one just south of Cherbourg. According to Blauensteiner this regiment had about 1 000 - 2 000 men but no quipment.¹¹ The clothing was poor and the men were not trained.¹²

Both the 12. Fs.Aufkl.Abt. and 12. Fs.StuG.Abt. were sent to Normandy. For more information on these units, see the respective units.

The losses suffered by the corps units during June is not known, but 1 July - 10 September casualties amounted to 176 killed in action, 776 wounded and 577 missing.¹³

^Notes:

1	Gliederung II. Fs.Korps, Stand 17.5.44, BA-MA RH 20-7/136.
2	KTB des höherer Artilleriekommandeurs der Fallschirmtruppe KTB Nr. 1, Höherer Art. Kommandeur Abt. Ia Az 11 5.6.44, BA-MA RL 33/3.
3	Übersicht über den Stand der Art. Einh., Anlage 33 zum KTB des höheren Artilleriekommandeurs der Fallschirmtruppe, KTN Nr. 1, BA-MA RL 33/3.
4	Höh. Art. Kommandeur Abt Ia, Az 11 Br. B. Nr. 797/44 geh. 18.8.44, BA-MA RL 33/3.
5	Gliederung II. Fs.Korps, Stand 17.5.44, BA-MA RH 20-7/136.
6	KTB des höherer Artilleriekommandeurs der Fallschirmtruppe KTB Nr. 1, BA-MA RL 33/3.
7	E. Meindl, II. Fallschirm-Korps 25 Juli - 5 August, MS # A-969.
8	E. Blauensteiner, Normandie: Vorgeschichte II. Fallschirmkorps Anfang Mai 1944 - 6. Juni 1944, MS # B-240, p. 3.
9	Gliederung II. Fs.Korps, Stand 17.5.44, BA-MA RH 20-7/136.
10	Ibid.
11	E. Blauensteiner, Normandie: Vorgeschichte II. Fallschirmkorps Anfang Mai 1944 - 6. Juni 1944, MS # B-240, p. 2.
12	Ibid.
13	Anlage I zu Korpsarzt II. Fallsch.Korps B Nr. 65050/45 g.Kdos vom 27.1.45, Berichtzeit 1.7 - 4.9.44, BA-MA RL 33/5.